Empires “disintegrate from within,” and the United States will be no exception, says Ron Paul in a newly released video of his speech at a January 30 Ludwig von Mises Institute conference in Houston, Texas. While the disintegration of the US empire will certainly bring troubles for Americans, it also, Paul says, is “very encouraging.” This is because, Paul predicts, Americans will be offered in the disintegration an opportunity to move the country away from large-scale violations of liberty at home and intervention overseas via a peaceful revolt instead of literally having “to go to war with” the government.

In his presentation, Paul, who is chairman and founder of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, presents a sweeping analysis of history with references to the Assyrian Code, Ten Commandments, Magna Carta, and Declaration of Independence that can be understood as examples of an attempt to “develop a set of standards for tranquility and peace, and try to curtail power of government.” Paul also addresses a countertrend, which made great progress in the “downhill” twentieth century, involving governments increasing their power, disparaging individual rights, and pursuing war.